Nandamuri Balakrishna, Akhil Akkineni Lead ZEE5's Expansive Telugu Slate

Streaming on: ZEE5

Nandamuri Balakrishna headlines the upcoming film NBK111, directed by Gopichand Malineni and produced in partnership with Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra (SVCC), as part of ZEE5's newly unveiled Telugu content slate. Balakrishna, known for his consistent presence in Telugu cinema, is joined in this project by Kajal Aggarwal. The platform is also showcasing Lenin, featuring Akhil Akkineni and Bhagyashri Borse under the direction of Murali Kishore Abburu, continuing Akhil's trajectory of diverse roles.

Venkatesh Daggubati, another stalwart of Telugu cinema, stars in January 12 Vidudhala, helmed by Anil Ravipudi and co-starring Nandamuri Kalyan Ram. Chaitanya Akkineni and Meenakshi Chaudhary take the lead in Vrushakarma, directed by Karthik Varma Dandu, while Allari Naresh and Kajal Choudhary headline Kanaka Durga, directed by Pradeep Maddali.

ZEE5's originals lineup features Shrimathi with Nivetha Thomas and Panchanama starring Bharath Niwas and Sivaji Raja. The popular show Jayammu Nishchayammu Ra 2, hosted by Jagapathi Babu, is set to return with a new season. The slate is backed by collaborations with leading production houses such as Vyjayanthi Movies, Sukumar Writings, Prime Show Entertainment, Shine Screens, and others.

Lloyd C. Xavier, Business Head for Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam at ZEE5, emphasized, "Telugu audiences have always been open to stories that are unconventional while still staying true to the emotions and authenticity they connect with."

The platform is also expanding its offerings with dubbed titles like Jananayagan, Hi, Demonte Colony 2, A Queen, and Veerappan 2, as well as AI-powered storytelling projects including Garuda and Chandrakanta. For younger viewers, kids’ titles like Barbarik and Kundaka Mandakka are on the way, and ZEE5 continues to grow its live sports coverage with events such as FIFA and Bundesliga.